Potato-Topped Baked Ratatouille

 Last week, the secret ingredient was blueberries and this week we go from luscious fruit to an everyday potato.  Frankly, I think potatoes have the potential for greatness and use it a multitude of ways.  There is the popular mashed potatoes or french fries and there is the addition of potatoes to unique ingredients.  I add sliced potatoes as a topper to ratatouille.  My inspiration was from Cassie at Chow Bella.  She gets full credit.  I thank her because it turned out to be delicious.  What a mixture of the crispy potato topping and the soft eggplant and vegetables.  This was a great success. 

To find out what others have contributed and to increase the variety of potatoes you  make, get yourself over to Chez What?

 BSI – secret ingredient – my favorite – the potato

Potato-Topped Baked Ratatouille
5 medium sized potatoes
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
1 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
1  eggplant, diced into small cubes
2 zucchini, diced into  cubes
16 ounce can diced tomatoes with basil and no salt
parsley                                                                                                                                           1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tablespoon sugar       paprika                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Preheat the over to 350 degrees .

Boil water in 4 quart saucepan and add potatoes to boiling water. 

Cook until they are done but not  soft.

Slice potatoes into slightly thick pieces (1/8th of an inch)  Put aside.

Heat a ten or 12 inch skillet over a medium flame. 

Add one tablespoon olive oil to skillet. 

Add onion and cook for 5 minutes.  

Add red pepper and cook for another five minutes.

Add eggplant and zucchini .   Cook additional ten minutes.

Add diced tomatoes and seasonings including parsely.

Cook for one half hour, stirring every few minutes.

In a two quart baking dish, spray with cooking oil.

Add the eggplant/zucchini mixture.

Layer with potatoes, you had put aside.  Make decorative.

Cover baking dish with aluminum foil and cook for 50 minutes. 

Remove foil and  sprinkle with paprika and dehydrated parsley.

Cook for an additonal 40 minutes.

A Great Combination